Moccasin lasting machine



u 1940- F. ASE-IWORTH MOCCASIN LASTING MACHINE 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed March. 22, 1939 Patented Mar. 19, 1940 UNITED STATES,

PATENT OFFICE 2,193,796 I MOCCASIN LASTING MACHINE Fred Ashworth, Wenham, Mass, assignor to -United Shoe Machinery Corporation, Borough of Flemington, N. J.,- a'corporation of New Jersey Application March 22, 1939, Serial No. 263,454

a being that portion of the moccasin which covers the bottom'and the periphery of the foot. In its operation the cablemoves upwardly over the periphery of the iorepart of the last, which is supported in generally upright position, stretching the forepart of the moccasin bottom and gather ing it inwardly against theperiphery of the last. After the lasting operation has been completed the cable holds the forepart of the moccasin bot tom inlasted position while the moccasin bottom' is secured to the last. I

It is an object of the invention to provide a moccasin lasting-machine of the type above describedwhich is adapted to be employed in practicing a, novel method of making moccasins described in an application for United States Letters Patent Serial No. 240,546, filed November 15, 1938; by myself and Corwin W. Baker. In accordance with the method set forth in that applications, iorepart clamp is applied to the periphery of the iorepart of the moccasin bottom after the moccasin bottom has been shaped over the last and the clamp is secured to the last to hold the forepart in lasted position while it is trimmed anda toe piece is attached thereto. In accordance with a feature of the present invention the illustrated machine is provided with means'h'erein illustrated as a pusher, for operating on a forepart embracing clamp portable with the moccasin bottom and last to urge said clamp into clamping engagement with the forepart.

While the illustrated means for operating on a forepart embracing clamp is shown in a machine having a flexible forepart lasting cable, it is to bev v understood that the invention is not limited in its scope to a clamp operating means embodied in a machine provided with a lastingcable, but could be incorporated in a moccasin lasting machine provided with a diiferent type of lasting mechanism without departing from theinvention. In practicing the method set forth in the application above referred to, the upper edge of the iorepart clamp is employed as a guide for the forep'art trimming knife. With this in View the clamp employed in vided with inwardly extending tabs which engage the practice of said method is prothe last into'the desiredposition. The illustrated in means for urging the clamp heightwise of the last comprises a wedge constructed and arranged to enterv the space between the work support and the toe end or the sole portion of the moccasin bottom and to act on the bottom edge of the 15 clamp. The pusher and the wedge operate simultaneously on the clamp in response to the advancement of a carrier to which the pusher is fixed and on which the wedge is so mounted that vit can yield in the direction of the length of the 20 last. i For advancing the moccasin bottom on its last into position to be operated upon by the lasting cable the illustrated machine is provided with'a work carriage and a hand screw for operating 25' the carriage which are similar in their, construction and operation to correspondingparts in the machine illustrated in thepatent above referred to. In accordance with a further feature of the invention the hand screw operates in membersBO constructed and arranged to be disengagedfrom the screw to permit the operator to advance the carriage while the screw remains stationary.

This construction enables the operator to efiect the greater part of the advancement of the carriage without resorting to the hand screw," thus facilitating the'operation of the machine;

These and other. features of the invention will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawings and pointed out in the appended claims.

In the drawings: Fig. 1 is a side elevation of the head of a ma- I chine embodying the present invention;

Fig, 2 is a plan view of the machine illustrated Fig. 3 is a detail plan View partly in section illustrating part of the mechanism for operating the work carriage;

Fig. i is a detail view in side elevation illustrating the pusher which operates on the forepart embracing clamp; and

Fig. 51s a planview illustrating an alternative mechanism for working the forepart embracing 55 For insuring the 5 clamp into clamping engagement with the moccasin.

Referring to Fig. 1, the illustrated machine comprises a head I 0 mounted on a standard l2 and provided with a work supporting table I4 which inclines upwardly away from the operator, the operators position being at the right of the machine, as seen in Fig. l, facing the heel end of a moccasin in the machine. Slidably mounted in the table H3 is a work carriage l6 which receives the heel portion of a last in generally upright position, for example a last I8 illustrated in Fig. 1 on which a moccasin bottom 20 has been assembled. The work carriage I6 is moved in a direction lengthwise of the last to bring the forepart of the moccasin bottom into position to be operated upon by a flexible forepart lasting member herein illustrated as a stranded wire or cable 22. The advancement of the work carriage is divided into two parts, the initial advancement being efiected by merely taking hold of the carriage itself and moving it forwardly or to the left, as seen in Fig. 1, until further movement of the carriage is resisted by the engagement of the forepart of the moccasin bottom with the cable. The work carriage is then further advanced by the operation of a hand screw 24 to take up any slack remaining in the cable and to press the forepart of the moccasin bottom firmly into engagement with the cable, the cable engaging the margin of the moccasin bottom along a line as near the bottom of the last as practicable. The hand screw operates on threaded members mounted on the bottom of the work carriage and constructed and arranged to be disengaged from the hand screw in order to permit the initial movement of the work carriage above described. Referring to Figs. 2 and 3, the illustrated screw engaging members comprise arms 26 pivotally mounted on the bottom of the work carriage it and provided at their ends nearest the heel end of the last with inwardly extending heads 28 which are concaved and internally threaded, providing a structure resembling a diametrically split nut constructed and arranged for engagement with the hand screw 24. The threaded heads 28 are normally held in operative engagement with the hand screw 24 by a tension spring 30 which operates on a rocker lever 32 pivoted to the bottom of the work carriage i8 and having two upstanding pins 34 which operate in cam slots 36 provided in the arms 26. For disengaging the threaded heads 28 from the hand screw the rocker lever 32 is provided with a thumb lever 38 which is bent so as to position the free end of the lever for convenient engagement by the thumb of the operators right hand as he grips the work carriage preparatory to its initial advancement, see Fig. 1.

For operating the lasting cable 22 the illustrated machine is provided with mechanism which in its general organization and in many of its details of construction is substantially the same as the cable operating mechanism illustrated and described in my patent above referred to. Referring to Fig. 2, the illustrated machine is provided with two cable carriers 40 on a rock shaft 4! and two cams 42 secured to a shaft 44 and arranged to swing the cable carriers to the right. as seen in Fig. 1, to operate the cable. For operating the cams 42 the illustrated machine is provided with a hand lever 46 which is freely mounted on the shaft 44. Secured to the shaft 44 adjacent to the hand lever 46 is a gear 48 and slidably mounted in the hand lever is a detent 5i? which operates on the gear 48 and is constructed and arranged for movement relatively to the gear in a line common to the diameter of the gear. The detent 50 is normally held retracted by a spring 52 (Fig. l) which operates on a short lever 54 pivoted to the hand lever and constructed and arranged to operate in grooves 55 (Fig. 2) provided in opposite sides of the detent. The detent is operable at the will of the operator by upward movement of an auxiliary lever 56 carried by the hand lever 46 and connected by a link 58 to the short lever 54. In operating the cable 22 the hand lever 46 is moved upwardly, rotating the cams 42 in the direction of the arrow in Fig. 1. When the hand lever is not being operated it is held in the position illustrated in Fig. 1 by a bent rod 60 which is secured to an extension 62 of the hand lever and arranged to engage the machine head.

For holding the last against upward movement during the operation of the cable the illustrated machine is provided with a holddown mechanism which is similar in its construction and operation to a holddown mechanism illustrated and described in United States Letters Patent No. 2,084,326, granted June 22, 1937, on an application of Rene E. Duplessis. Referring to Fig. l, the illustrated holddown is a bar 64 the forward end of which is bent downwardly for engagement with the upper surface of the forepart of the last and the rear portion of which is bent downwardly and arranged to engage the upper surface of the rear part of the last. The holddown bar is secured to a block 65 swivelcd on a rod 56 which in its operative position extends inwardly over the last from the upper end of a shaft 68 extending generally heightwise of the last and mounted in a bearing in a bracket 10 secured to the machine head. On the lower portion of the shaft 68 there is secured a collar 12 to which is secured a screw eye 74 which provides an anchorage for one end of a spring F6 (Fig. 2) the opposite end of which is anchored to a stud extending downwardly from the machine head. The spring 76 operates to maintain the holddown initially in a position remote from the work table l4 and to the left of the shaft 58, as shown in Fig. 2. The holddown is yieldingly held at the limit of its upward movement by a spring 18 the lower end of which is anchored to a square block 19 loosely mounted on the shaft 88 and the upper end of which is anchored to the bracket 10. The block 19 is confined between a shoulder on the shaft 68 and a spacer 8| mounted on the shaft. The holddown is moved downwardly into engagement with the last by the operation of a treadle (not shown) which is connected by a chain 8!] to an arm 82 which is the upstanding member of a rocker 84 carried by a cross shaft 86 mounted in brackets extending downwardly from the machine head,

the other element of said rocker being an arm 6S which is provided at its free end with a yoke which engages opposite sides of the square block 19 and holds it from turning with the shaft 68. The arm 88 acts on studs 92 in the square block 19, each arm of the yoke being provided with an open-ended slot 90 (Fig. l) which receives one of said studs. The rocker M is swung in a clockwise direction, as seen in Fig. 1, by the operation of the holddown treadle, thus imparting downward movement to the shaft 68 and bringing the holddown bar 64 into engagement with the last, in which position it'is held by a treadle latch (not shown).

For holding the forepart of the moccasin bottom in lasted position a forepart clamp is provided. This clamp is first brought into clamping engagement with the forepart of the moccasin bottom by mechanism now to be described and is then secured to the last in any suitable manner, for example a iorepart clamp 9t illustrated in Fig. 1 has rearwardly extending perforated tabs 96 through which tacks are driven to secure the clamp to the last. For bringing the clamp 94 forcibly into engagement with the toe end of the moccasin bottom the illustrated machine is provided with a pusher shown herein as a rigid bar 98 which is secured midway between its ends to a swivel block 99. The swivel block has a stem IIlI which extends downwardly into a bore in a carrier ace and is held against upward movement by a collar III3 secured tov its lower end. Referring to Fig. l, the bar as has a beveled work engaging surface W2 at one end for use in lasting mens moccasins and at its opposite end the bar 58 has a beveled face IIM which is downwardly oifset from the surface I52 to arrange it to operate on small size moccasins. The clamp 36 is provided with inwardly extending tabs one of which is illustrated at H36 in Fig. 1, which tabs serve to position the clamp heightwise of the moccasin bottom. In order to force the clamp 94 upwardly tobring the tabs firmly into engagement with the sole portion of the moccasin bottom, thus to locate the clamp heightwise of the moccasin bottom, the illustrated machine is provided with a slide rod IIIB which is mounted in a bore in the swivel block 99 and has secured to each end a lifter or wedge Hi! the bottom surface of which is constructed and arranged to lie flat against the'work table It while the upper surface is arranged to engage and lift the clamp member as the wedge moves toward the heel end of the last. For holding the slide rod I08 against turning movement in the swivel block 99 it is slabbed off at opposite sides thereof along a section of the rod which extends through the swivel block, as illustrated at I69 in Fig. 1. This slabbed oif portion of the slide rod slides through an opening in a plate III se- -cured to the swivel block 96, said opening having terior of said parallel bars.

straight side walls which engage the slabbed off portions of the slide rod and hold said rod against turning movement in the swivel block. The wedges IIIl are spaced from the swivel block 89 by two springs IE2 on the slide rod Hi8. During the advancement of the carrier H38 one wedge I It engages the clamp 9 while the pusher bar 98 is still spaced therefrom and as the carrier com pletes its advancement and brings the pusher bar forcibly against the clamp 94 one of the springs H2 is compressed and acts on the wedge Hi! to force it into the space between the table and the bottom of the toe end of the clamp, thereby forcing the clamp upwardly until the tabs I05 provided on the clamp are brought forcibly into engagement with the sole portion of the moccasin bottom. For mounting the pusher carrier Ito fixed parallel bars HG (Fig. 2) extend through bearings or heads I I l at opposite sides of the carrier. For yieldingly holding the carrier Hill in its retracted position a compression spring III is mounted in a longitudinal bore in each bar H6. The springs H8 act on a crossbar I20 secured to the carrier Hill, the inner walls of the parallel bars iii; being provided with slots through which the end portions of the crossbar extend into the in- The carrier Hill is advanced to operate the pusher bar 98 and one of the wedges M0 by the depression of a treadle (not shown) which is connected by a chain I22 (Fig. 1) to lugs I 24 on the lower portion of the carrier.

In Fig. 5 there is illustrated an alternative mechanism for working the forepart clamp into clamping engagement with the forepart of the moccasin bottom. This mechanism, which may be mounted on a swivel block similar to the swivel block 99, comprises a crossbar I26 which is secured in a plate I28 on the swivel block and carries at its outer ends two push rods I33, ball and socket connections being provided between the crossbar and the push rods to permit the push rods to swing in any direction. The free ends of the push rods-are rounded for engagement within hollow brackets I32 extending outwardly from opposite ends of a forepart clamp I34. At its end opposite the crossbar I26 the plate I28 carries a pusher member I36 which, when the swivel block is reversed from its position in Fig. 5, is arrangedto operate on the forepart clamp in the same manner as the pusher bar 98 illustrated in Fig. 1. In order to permit the push rods I30 to be adjusted lengthwise of the last for operation on clamps of different sizes parallel slots I38 are provided in the plate I28 through which slots extend screws Iii! which secure the plate to the swivel block.

In the operation of the illustrated machine a last with a moccasin bottom assembled thereon is arranged in generally upright position with its forepart resting on the work table It and its rear part supported in the carriage II The moccasin bottom is tacked to the last in the region of the back seam but the forepart is not attached to the last but lies substantially flat on the work table. With the fingers of one hand the operator gathers the margin of the moccasin bottom in against the periphery of the last while'with the other he grips the carriage It and advances it to bring the upturned margin of the forepart of the moccasin bottom into engagement with the forepart lasting cable 22. Preferably the operator will grip the work carriage with his right hand and in so doing will engage the thumb lever 38 and disengage the internally threaded heads 25? (Fig. 3) of the arms 26 from the hand screw 2Q in. order to permit the carriage to be moved freely in its most cases extend only about one-half an inch above the cable since the moccasin bottom has not been stretched over the last prior to the operation of the illustrated machine. After the operator has advanced the work carriage It as above described sufliciently to take most of the slack out of the cable he releases his grip on the work carriage, permitting the arms 26 to return the internally threaded heads 28 to their position of engagement with the hand screw 24, and thereupon the operator turns the hand wheel It?! at the end of the hand screw 24, thereby further advancing the work carriage I6, thus taking the remaining slack out 'of the lasting cable and foreing the moccasin bottom firmly into the loop of the cable. brought into engagement with the top of the last as illustrated in Fig. 1, the forepart of the moccasin bottom is lasted by drawing the cable rearwardly by means of the cable operating mechanism hereinbefore described. As the cable moves After the holddown bar fit has been moccasin bottom.

rearwardly it travels up the incline of the periphery of the forepart of the last l8 carrying the forepart of the moccasin bottom with it and stretching and shaping the forepart about the last. Preferably, and as herein illustrated, the moccasin bottom is mounted on a special last such as that illustrated and described in the application for United States Letters Patent before referred to. The peripheral surface of the forepart of the illustrated last has a uniform gradient which facilitates the operation of the lasting cable and the forepart of the last is so constructed that the cable is in gripping engagement with the entire forepart of the moccasin bottom in all stages of its operation. After the lasting operation has been completed the operator inspects the work and if necessary pulls up the sides of the forepart with hand pincers. A clamp such, for example, as the clamp 34- illustrated in Fig. l, is then applied to the forepart of the moccasin bottom and the pusher bar 98 and wedge H0 are operated to bring the clamp into clamping engagement with the moccasin bottom and into predetermined position heightwise of the moccasin bottom. The clamp is then secured to the last and remains with the last while the forepart is trimmed. After the clamp has been secured to the last the pusher 98 is returned to its rest position and the tension of the lasting cable is released by downward movement of the cable operating hand lever it. After the tension of the cable has been sufficiently released to permit the cross shaft 44 to turn freely the operator completes the return movement of the cable by turning the knurled knob i l-4 (Fig. 2) secured to the cross shaft. Preferably the upper edge MS of the clamp 94 serves as a guide for the trimming knife. After the forepart has been trimmed the clamp may be removed and the last pulled and a toe piece secured to the forepart of the I have found, however, that better results are obtained by employing a method set forth in the application above referred to. In accordance with this method the clamp 54 remains on the last after the trimming operation, and the upper portion of the forepart of the last which, as illustrated in said application, is separate from the body portion of the last, is removed to permit a toe piece to be attached to the moccasin bottom while the forepart of the moccasin bottom is still held against the last by the clamp.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States is:

1. In a machine for shaping moccasins over lasts, the combination with a support for a last with a moccasin bottom thereon, and forepart lasting means, of means other than said forepart lasting means for operating on a forepart-embracing clamp portable with the moccasin bottom and last to urge said clamp into clamping engagement with the forepart.

2. In a machine for shaping moccasins over lasts, the combination with a support for a last with a moccasin bottom thereon, and forepart lasting means, of a pusher constructed and arranged to operate on a forepart-embracing clamp portable with the moccasin bottom and last to force said clamp into clamping engagement with the forepart.

3. In a machine for shaping moccasins over lasts the combination with a support for a last with a moccasin bottom thereon, and forepart lasting means, of means constructed and arranged to move a forepart-embracing clamp heightwise of the last into proper position to clamp the forepart against the last.

4. In a machine for shaping moccasins over lasts, the combination with a support for a last with a moccasin bottom thereon, and forepart lasting means, of a lifter for bringing a forepartembracing clamp into a predetermined position heightwise of the last.

5. In a machine for shaping moccasins over lasts, the combination with a support for a last in generally upright position with a moccasin bottom thereon, and forepart lasting means, of a wedge constructed and arranged to enter the space between the support and the toe end of the moccasin bottom and to urge a forepartembracing clamp heightwise of the last.

6. In a machine for shaping moccasins over lasts, the combination with a support for a last with a moccasin bottom thereon, and forepart lasting means, of a member for working a forepart clamp into clamping engagement with the forepart of the moccasin bottom, and another member for urging said clamp heightwise of the last.

'7. In a machine for shaping moccasins over lasts, the combination with a support for a last in generally upright position with a moccasin bottom thereon, and forepart lasting means, of a pusher for forcing a forepart clamp into clamp ing engagement with the moccasin bottom, and a lifter for positioning the clamp heightwise of the last.

3. In a machine for shaping moccasins over lasts, a table for supporting a last in generally upright position with a moccasin bottom thereon, means constructed and arranged to operate on a forepart-embracing clamp to urge said clamp into clamping engagement with the forepart, and a wedge constructed and arranged to enter a space between the table and the sole portion of the moccasin bottom and to urge said clamp heightwise of the last.

9. In a machine for shaping moccasins over lasts, a table for supporting a last in generally upright position with a moccasin bottom thereon, means constructed and arranged to operate on a portable forepart-embracing clamp to urge said clamp into clamping engagement with the forepart, a wedge constructed and arranged to enter a space between the table and the sole portion of the moccasin bottom and to urge said clamp heightwise of the last, and a holddown for holding the last and moccasin bottom against the table.

10. In a machine for shaping moccasins over lasts, a table for supporting a last in generally upright position with a moccasin bottom thereon, a member constructed and arranged to engage a forepart clamp which engages the periphery and the sole portion of the moccasin bottom and to urge said clamp lengthwise of the last against the toe end of the moccasin bottom, and a wedge constructed and arranged to enter a space between the table and the sole portion of the moccasin bottom at its toe end and to urge said clamp against the sole portion of the moccasin bottom.

11. In a machine for shaping moccasins over asts, the combination with a support for a last with a moccasin bottom thereon, and forepart lasting means, of a pusher for forcing a forepart clamp into clamping engagement with the moccasin bottom, a member constructed and arranged to engage said clamp and to position it lasts, the combination with a support for a last heightwise of the last, and a carrier for the pusher and said positioning member.

12. In a machine for shaping moccasins over lasts, the combination with a support for a last with a moccasin bottom thereon, and forepart lasting means, of a pusher for forcing a forepart clamp into clamping engagement with the moccasin bottom, a member constructed and arrangedto engage said clamp and to position it heightwise of the last, and a carrier for the pusher and said positioning member, said carrier being mounted for rectilinear movement toward and from the toe end of the last.

13. In a machine for shaping moccasins over lasts, the combination with a support for a last with a moccasin bottom thereon, and forepart lasting means, of a pusher for forcing a forepart which are in difierent positions heightwise of the last, said pusher being arranged to force a forepart clamp into clamping engagement with the moccasin bottom, a carrier for the pusher,

and means for moving the carrier toward the toe end of the last.

15. In a machine for shaping moccasins over lasts, a table for supporting a last in generally upright position with a moccasin bottom thereon, I

a pusher constructed and arrangedto engage a forepart clamp which engages the periphery and the sole portion of the moccasinbottom and to urge said clamp lengthwise of the last against the toe end of the moccasin bottom, a wedge constructed and arranged to enter a space between the table and'the sole portion of the moccasin bottom at its toe end and to urge said clamp against the sole portion of the moccasin bottom, a carrier to which the pusher is fixed and on which the wedge is so mounted that it can yield in the direction of the length of the last, and means for moving the carrier toward the toe end of the moccasin bottom.

. 16. In a machine for shaping moccasins over lasts, the combination with a support for a last with a moccasin bottom thereon,and a forepart lasting member, of means for working a forepart said clamp heightwise of the last, and operating mechanismconstructedv and arranged to render said last-mentioned means effective and thereafter to render said first-mentioned means effec tive. I

1'7. In a machine for shaping moccasins over with a moccasin bottom thereon, and forepart lasting means, of a pusher for forcing a forepart clamp into clamping engagement with the moccasin bottom, a member constructedand arranged to engage said clamp and to position it heightwise of the last, and a carrier for the pusher and tively to each other on the carrier that said member engages the clamp and positions it heightwise of the last before the pusher engages the clamp.

18. In a machine for shaping moccasins over lasts, the combination with a support for a last With a moccasin bottom thereon, and iorepart lasting means, of means for working a forepart clamp into forepart-embracing and clamping position including a pair of members constructed and arranged to operateon opposite end portions of said clamp.

19. In a machine for shaping moccasins over lasts, means for working a forepart clamp into forepart-embracing and clamping position cornprising a pair of push rods constructed and arranged to operate on opposite end portions of the clamp, a carrier for the push rods, and means for moving the carrier towardthe toe end of a moccasin on the last thereby to operate said push rods.

20. In a machine for shaping moccasins over lasts, the combination with a support for a last with a moccasin bottom thereon, and forepart lasting means, of mechanism for operating said.

lasting means including a lever, a locking member on the lever for rendering the lever efiective,

means for holding the locking member normally in retracted position, and means on the lever for rendering said locking member effective.

21. In a machine for shaping moccasins over lasts, the combination with a support for a last with a moccasin bottom thereon, and forepart lasting means, of a cam for operating the lasting means, a hand lever for operating the cam, a locking member for rendering the hand lever effective, means operating on the locking member to hold it normally in retracted position, and an auxiliary means on the hand lever for rendering said locking member effective.

22. Ina machine for shaping moccasins over lasts, forepart lasting means, a work carriage constructed and arranged for movement to position the work relatively to the forepart lasting means, ascrew for moving the carriage to bring the Work forcibly into engagement with the forepart lasting means, and screw engaging means on the carriage constructed and arranged, to be disengaged from the screw to permit the operator to advance the carriage while the screw remains stationary.

tively to the forepart lasting cable, a screw for moving the carriage to bring the work forcibly against the cable and to tension the cable about the work, screw engaging means von the carriage comprising two internally threaded members which in their operative positions mesh with the screw, and means operable at the will of the operator to disengage said members from the screw 

